A Tale of Two
by xoxSerenityxox
Summary: Two worlds. Two pasts. Two possible futures. Two lives. Will Serena be able to hold it all together or will she be left seeing double? DarienXSerenaXSeiya Rated M for possible gore, language, and later sexual content *Update! The scene switches didn't show up before PROBLEM IS NOW FIXED (again)
1. A Tale of Two

"In two days." Luna's cat eyes flicked upward at her owner. "Only two days."

"Only one day and a couple more hours and then poof! Will I suddenly feel older? When the clock strikes twelve tonight will I suddenly be more graceful?" Serena suddenly stood up, grabbing her feline companion and half stumbled half waltzed around the room, "Regal?" She curled one blonde eyebrow upward, cradling the cat in one hand while exaggeratingly flexing the other. "Powerful?"

The two laughed when Luna slightly dizzied jumped out of her Princess's arms and onto the pink carpeted floor. "You know Serena in the days of old it was rumored that when a moon princess turned eighteen she would go through a sort of lunar puberty…"

Serena's shoulder slumped. "Puberty? Like all the acne and even more clumsiness?" She threw her head back and lifted her arms into the air in exasperation. "No Luna I couldn't go through that again!"

She flopped backward onto her pillow and over her crossed arms watching the cat's tail languidly swinging back and forth. "But would I get taller?" She blushed and crossed her hands over her modest but ample breasts. "Curvier?"

Luna laughed, her deep voice and cat form turning the feminine laugh into a low purr. "It was only a rumor even then. When your mother was eighteen there seemed to be no difference in her characteristics or personality at all. Though her life did change, she was betrothed, had her coronation, and all the power of the crystal passed down from her mother to her."

"Betrothed? To who?"

Luna pondered over the question, flipping through hazy memories and clips of their past life. "It's not important. What is important is that I do remember just as it is today the eighteenth birthday of a princess was very important, even to a civilization of people who could live for centuries." She curled into herself trying to think back to an even further memory, her family on the planet Mau and her eighteenth birthday.

Serena flipped over to stare at her pink ceiling running her hands through her golden tresses, a habit that she did when she was thinking. "Luna?" She sensed distressed in her feline companion but still felt selfish curiosity, she scratched behind Luna's ear as a small consolation for her trouble. "Luna? Do you think all my memories will come back?"

The pet tensed and then sprang to her feet so she could meet Serena's eyes. "I truly don't know. The other scouts have reported nothing like this on their birthdays but you-you have always surprised me." She could here a sigh escape her princess's lips but she could not decipher if it was out of relief or disappointment.

She put a comforting paw on Serena's hand dipping to rub her head against Serena's neck. "But then your mother has always been looking after you and I am sure if she knows you truly desire them she will figure out a way to aid you from beyond." She made sure her Princess was paying attention, "But do you want all your old memories back, even if the Crystal Palace was paradise not all of the memories will be good."

Serena paused. Did she?

_All the memories of my past: my true childhood and powers, my old home. But all of the disasters, the enemies, the death…_

She looked back into Luna firm but worried gaze, and broke into a fit of giggles. "Oh Luna you're always so serious. I don't need to worry my Mother over the past, and I certainly don't want to worry you. I don't need to know, everything that's important to me is right here." She placed a quick kiss on Luna's temple before rushing of to the bathroom, the silence only ended by the sound of running water.

Luna shrugged. If Serena wasn't going to worry about it neither would she. She hopped of the nightstand and gracefully leaped downward to the television. A few moments later Luna had it turned to the most popular news station.

The reporter had jet black hair and a commonly beautiful face but startling green eyes, matching a shiny aquamarine blazer. Her sparkling pearl pin glittered when she spoke to match her perfectly bleached white teeth.

She spread an array of papers around her semicircle glass desk looking up to the teleprompter with a friendly smile. "-Thanks Matt, we would just like to remind you that the solar eclipse will be appearing at exactly 12:00 am tomorrow! The weather will be perfect tomorrow as Meteorologist Kim has just shown us so get ready to see the solar splendor tomorrow night! This is Mika Tomiya with RA News. Real Action! Real News! Have a Great-"

Luna turned of the television, slightly disturbed.

_A solar eclipse? On Serena's birthday. Maybe it's just a funny coincidence….but._

The feline's eyes glazed over as something clicked.

_When the sun overcomes the moon the origin of the princess will rise soon. The prince of-of"_

Luna snapped out of the thought. "Where did that come from?" The words sounded so foreign but still so familiar.

Serena turned of the water hurrying to dry herself, it was getting late and she was supposed to hang out with Molly tomorrow.

She wrapped her hair in a twisted towel over her head. She dried off her shoulder tracing her fingers over the cobweb thin barely noticeable scars.

"Beryl."

One of Beryl's monsters had ambushed her on the way home from school after she served an hour long detention. It had ripped her locket out of her school uniform and thrown it under a parked car. She had had to lure it into an alley before beating it to death with a broken pipe.

It had pinned her to the brick wall with its long claws trying to eat her face off with its beak when she had grabbed the pipe and shoved it in its chest twisting and twisting before it finally let go.

Serena grabbed the sink trying not to let the memory overtake her, the smell of its putrid flesh still stuck with her as she saw it rot before her into a mess of green and black vile things.

She took a deep breath and exhaled, suddenly tired and feeling the urge to go to bed.

She collapsed onto the bed hugging Luna sleeping form to her chest. She just had this feeling something was going to happen, she could feel it in the pit of her stomach, something big was coming, and soon.

**Hello, here I am again with a new more developed remake of an old story. I hope to update often so leave me a nice review! This will definitely be my shortest chapter by far! Thanks guys for the reviews. **


	2. Discoveries and Dark Magic

Her eyes slowly fluttered open as they made contact with the direct sunlight shining through the windows; she tried to flip over only to be faced by the glaring neon light of her digital clock.

_12:21 am…12:21 pm…It's 12:21!_

"Shit!"

She jumped out of bed, tearing of the sheet and sending Luna into the air. The cat awoke landing on her feet, still partially asleep. "What's going on? Is there an attack?"

Serena peaked out of the bathroom, "I have to meet Molly in nine minutes. Today is our best friend day! I haven't seen her in ages. I can't see her for the first time ever late." She brushed her teeth with one hand and attempted to wash her face with the other.

"Luna grab my white shorts and a pink tank top from my other drawer, I have to wash my face! No time for odangos today. AND WATCH YOUR CLAWS WITH THE TANK TOP ITS NEW!"

_Odango…Seiya used to call me that…_

"I have no time for this!" She spat into the sink quickly rinsing out her mouth. She quickly braided her hair, throwing off her pajamas and hopping into her shorts.

"I'm missing something…" She dropped into a crouch, scanning under her bed for the lost item. "Found it!" She waved a pink floral bra in the air like a flag.

Snapping the hook and quickly slipping on the bra. "Tank top!" Luna pointed with her tail towards the dresser where the pink lace tank top with a lace back. She raced over to her vanity to grab to white hoops.

"Bye Luna!"

It was only a few moments later the cat could her bounding back up the stairs,

"Dammit!"

She hobbled into the bathroom and opened the mirror to her cabinet. She took a cotton pad and applied concealer and dabbed it onto her shoulder before spreading a light coat on her legs.

The scars from her youma fighting days had faded and even if she had healing powers they were really most effective when she was in scout form when she had to power down to go home, or to school, or even to avoid being seen the process drastically slowed and left her with all the scars to prove it.

She walked out of the bathroom and circled the room for a moment before her other missing items came to her.

"Phone, Money, Purse!"

She flung her pillow from the bed, grabbing a few dollar bills, stopped at her vanity again for her cell phone and the pink ring Darien gave to her, and again back to the side of her bed for her white pleather satchel.

"Okay got everything! Right? Right! Bye Luna!"

"Wait! Your shoes!"

"My flip-flops are by the door!"

Luna could hear her still shouting down stairs, "Bye Momma! Bye Poppa!", a short pause, "Waffles! I'll take them to go! Shammy, she you rarer!"

Luna chuckled softly to herself, she was always telling her not to eat with her mouth full.

Serena ran out to her front lawn to see Molly pulling into her drive way.

"Serennnaa hop in!"

Molly unlocked the green hummer and Serena climbed in. "I see you still were having breakfast."

Serena giggled as the bit into the soft waffles. "Sorry, I woke up a little late."

The car pulled out of the driveway as she slipped on her aviators. "I like the braid. I haven't seen you not wearing your buns since…ever?"

"I like your hair too, when did you start growing it out?"

A red hair slipped out from behind her ear and Molly tucked it back in place with the other strands that flowed to just above her elbows. Her pale skin was still silky smooth, she was a little taller, around five foot seven now, two inches more then her old frame. Summer had turned her fiery red her into shades of dark blonde and in places around the crown strawberry blonde but her roots still had that more-red-than-anything hair Serena remembered.

"About two years ago, about the time you finished fighting...I don't know what to call it…Was it still the Negaforce?"

Serena clutched her chest, loosening the tightness of her seat belt, everything suddenly felt so claustrophobic.

"The what?" Her voice was a barely above a whisper, but she was doing all she could do to not vomit out the passenger window.

_Does she know I'm Sailor Moon? How many people had she told? Who else knew? How did she find out?_

"After all the attacks, like the one during the Three Lights concert. I don't know if it was still the Negaforce or some other evil. But way after I found out you were Sailor Moon."

* * *

"We are on course to be levying taxes from the Meridia and Zagar provinces in two and a half moon cycles. The Avan people are still rebuilding much of their sky ports and ask for at least two more moon cycles than previously negotiated."

Fighter scanned through the report once more, making sure she didn't forget anything.

"Your wishes, your Majesty?"

Princess, now Queen Kakyuu gracefully sat on a throne still marred by the soot stains of the flames that had once engulfed the palace. The Sailor Wars had finally ended, Kinmoku was reborn, the people lived again, and planetary power reigned supreme but the destruction was still apparent, there was only so much the silver crystal could do even after the four years.

Her flaming red hair hung in its intricate red loops, the red hair matching her red, almost auburn eyes and the cascading silk red of her dress. The fireball Queen sat in her golden throne with her deck of cards stacked on a levitating piece of slab similar to a red marble.

She placed down a card depicting an image of the sea, the Meridian people. The next card fell directly beside the Meridian card, a card showing the sign of the desert people, the Zagaran, followed by a card depicting the clear pale green skies of Kinmoku, the land of the Avan, air.

She traced her long fingers around the edges of the Avan card then rearranged the cards so the Avan card lay directly between the Meridian and Zagaran card; she tilted her head to the side, slowly moving it above the other two cards.

_The Lands of Ava…standing directly overhead the border between Meridia and Zagar. Their people isolationist, fiercely loyal…but egotistical. _

She raised a pale hand to rub her eye lids, "I know the Avan people were the first attacked when Chaos invaded, their air fleet and precious birds were sacrificed for the defense effort but now that the Avan Birds sore through the sky like the days of old they must realize that everyone is rebuilding. Giving them too much time will only instill a false sense of favoritism between the Avan and Meridian tribes once again; a rift between the tribes is something we cannot afford. Tell the Avan Prophet Adros that I will send him fifty of my best builders but only give him one more moon cycle then the others tribes. Send Sailor Star Builder with them to oversee that the work is going speedily and report accordingly."

Sailor Star Fighter nodded, as head of the Queen's Guard it was her duty to follow all orders. "As She commands so it shall be done."

Upon her will the cards shuffled and then restacked themselves on the floating slab. Queen Kakyuu grabbed the first card. The black leather-like cloth was thin from all the years it was used by the monarchs, ancient writing from the first Kinmokan people glowed red as she touched it. She flipped the card over, the glowing letters from the back of the card slipped over and rearranged themselves.

_D-R-O-I-G-A _

"Maker, tell me why the Droiga seek my attention."

Maker typed rapidly with her left hand while sifting through the reports with the other. She sat on the right side of Sailor Star Fighter in front of the short table that stood a few feet away from the throne.

"The Droigan people are working hard to rebuild teleportation ports and say they shall have the first ones activated in all the major tribes by the end of the first moon cycle. They ask for protection into the Zagar lands, as well as _humbly_ seeking compensation for their efforts."

Once again Kakyuu touched the card waiting for same feeling of clarity that came over her as the voices of old spoke to her. Droigan…they were quick and agile workers, but yet still they asked for more time?

Maker nodded her head in reverence, "Your wishes, your Majesty?"

"The Droigan know that the teleportation ports are most utilized by their people, we are funding their efforts, as well as the agreement we made the alleviate them of a considerable amount of their taxes. We will send Sailor Guardian to help them to install the teleporter in Zagar. Also ask her to go ahead of time and see how many teleporters the Drioga have set up in their own lands; they have always been such an intelligent but greedy people."

"As She commands so it shall be done."

Queen Kakyuu rested her head in her hands, already tired and feeling a headache forming. "Sailor Star Healer state your official report." The card had already arranged themselves back into place waiting for her next command.

"The Healers of the Sacred City request the usual B.C. offering for the Three Moon Festival in half a moon cycle. High Priestess Helenos sends her greeting as well as hopes that it is known that the offering will also be used to cleanse the major rivers and revive the help and productivity of the people."

_An offering like the ones we gave before Chaos? Will the palace reserve garden be able to withstand it?_

She flipped the card over and a vision of the kind but determined face of High Priestess Helenos appeared. Her white hair was fashioned in it's low braids with the ceremonial white and gold cloak covering much of her face. She was steadfastly praying at the alter of Birth and Divine Healing, food bowls from the past few days lay untouched as she rubbed her hands together in prayer and fasting.

"Fine, Helenos is a persistent woman, give her what she wants before she threatens to rain all types of hell upon us." She stood swaying slightly ",-as if we haven't been through that already." She placed a hand to her forehead her other hand reaching out to stable herself on her throne's arm. The stone slab clattered to the floor at her feet.

Sailor Star Fighter leapt up to aid her. "My Queen!"

Healer and Maker stood ready to help.

Kakyuu waved them away, "Healer, Maker, make sure to issue the orders and send out the appropriate Scouts, I am done for today. Fighter, take me to him." She grabbed the cards and cradled them to her chest, crystalline beads of sweat beaded at her brow.

Fighter lead her through a small door directly behind the throne, they both bent to get through the low door frame. It was an average room, papers neatly compiled of tax report from each of the tribes lined the selves, a small desk settled in the corner just polished but untouched. Fighter opened a closet door and tipped forward a small cloth bound book, as a result the false wall slid open as the two descended down the stairs into darkness.

The Queen walked quickly behind her most trusted Sailor Scout, careful to follow in her exact footsteps as to avoid the hidden traps. The pair swiftly rounded sharp turns and glided downward even more stairs. The maze unfolded before them in a matter of silent moment they came to a stop before a solid wooden door.

The inscription for healing was pasted in a thick golden paste above the entrance. Kakyuu moved from behind Fighter to place a hand upon the thick door.

"Open for Queen Kakyuu, may she reign forever."

The door creaked as slowly orange light slivered from behind the door into the darkened passage way.

She wore simple mustard garbs that covered her hands and arms, her head was wrapped in a deep burgundy scarf that was fringed with tiny gold flecks of ruby. She smiled and tucked a hint of her gray tinged hair into the scarf. "My Queen."

Kakyuu rushed forward to greet her, "Ma Eleen." She leaned on the shorter woman's shoulder but was the first to pull away, her attention elsewhere. The center of the room was a huge bed encased in a red chiffon shrine of curtains hanging from the ceiling. In the corner of the room lay a small futon, and a door to a small bathroom.

She lightly pushed back the curtains, not wanting to disturb him in any way. She eased back on the small chair that Fighter pulled out for her, tears already forming in the dormant flame of her eyes.

His skin still held the remnants of all the days he used to run outside in the sun. His dark chocolate eyelashes were so long the brushed against his high cheekbones. His lips were so full they almost pouted, while brown hair with darker streaks flowed down to his broad shoulders. His skin's deep tan color complimented the bronze embroidery that graced his pale mustard tunic. She grabbed his hand and could almost still feel the heat there, still feel the pulse of his beating heart in his chest, it felt almost as if he would suddenly sit up and scare her, emerald eyes twinkling with mirth.

She sat down on the simple stool by his bedside leaning over to smell him, he still smelled faintly of the osmanthus flowers he knew she loved so dearly. He lay frozen in time, not aging, not dying, not living. No one knew what was wrong with him, but she would not watch while he withered away, so High Priestess Helenos had encased him in a magical time capsule.

She wanted to crawl into bed with him and tell Helenos to leave her like him until they could find someway to heal him. To shake him and hold him and love him, but she could only sit and watch under her serene mask and whisper his name like a ghost.

"Mathan."

He was already in fal miedokos, the fake death when Galaxia destroyed the planet. The crystal restored everyone who was killed by Galaxia but he was caught somewhere in between life and death.

She looked at her deck of cards shining so brightly as she clenched them, maybe this time they would tell her something. She took one chilled breath before she threw down the first card.

It glowed like a tiny sun at first, as they always did when they were near such heavy magic, but when the light died down it showed only white emptiness.

It showed no picture of him, nor of his home on Florae, a growing colony of jungle, plains, and forest, where the osmanthus grew like wildflowers.

They were to be married, but he still slept. Even now people still whispered about him, that he was actually dead and Kakyuu wanted to take no husband and rule alone. Even before Chaos he slept so long his younger brother had become King of the Florae and all its people.

He slept, the serene look on his face while she died on the inside unable to rejoice or mourn his existence.

"But what is a Queen without a King, Mathan!" She threw the cards on top of his dormant body; all of them not even blank.

"But what am I without you?" She felt Ma Eleen and Fighter draw near but she wanted to be alone. "Leave us." She wrapped her arms around his forearm, pressing his hand against her cheek. A sob escaped her throat. "Please! Leave us!"

Fighter quickly walked out of the room, seeing the Queen so distressed made her feel so useless. Mathan was the Queen's everything, she had put so much hope in the fact when they were reborn he would wake up too. She navigated easily out of the hidden labyrinth Ma Eleen staying outside the doors to protect the sacred room.

She walked quickly to the library; the Tankei Kingdom had the biggest collection of scrolls and ancient tablets in the world. At their core all knew the Tankian were a peaceful and scholarly people.

Kinmoku needed Mathan, King Mathan to wake up, the healers were doing something wrong, even Ma Eleen was doing something wrong. All this time had passed and he still had woken up.

She nodded towards the head librarian, clothed in the same clothes as Ma Eleen, an upper servant of the castle.

She walked through the barren walls workers in the plain clothes of a pale yellow tunics made out of the cheapest fabric, the red star of Kinmoku imprinted on their backs.

"I am here on order of the Queen, you may retire for the day, you as well Head Librarian, I am needed to record particular scrolls for impertinent matters."

In a few moments the library was truly quiet as it should have been. The tables of burnt scrolls and fresh papers where the books were being re-recorded sat barren. Fighter headed to the tsll iron gates looked over the gaping windows and out to the rest of the palace grounds.

The third window had a thin golden lock on the outside. Fighter quickly took off her headband and placed the star into the lock, with a sharp pull the lock clattered open, it was a pretty simple lock but the only way you could see it was if you were a true Sailor Starlight.

With a pull of the heavy iron bars she stood for a seconds on the narrow space between the bars and the open window. To onlookers they would see just another window to the empty library, not a Sailor Scout enclosed in magic. She closed the gates as silently as possible and felt the platform beneath her shift as she descended into the secret library of the Monarchs.

It was dark, and smelled of rot and old water. She had only been to this place twice: once with the Queen to look up healing rituals for Prince Mathan, and once more to look up spells of Protection with Maker and Healer after Queen Kakyuu had foreseen the coming of great evil in the cards.

It was one of the only places which remained untouched by the evil of Chaos, perhaps because it was underground or perhaps because it held such powerful and ancient magic.

Fighter focused on sending her energy to her palm, and it glowed a soft but bright red, she held it out in front of her to guide her. The books of Healing were in front of her but that wasn't exactly what she wanted. They had read all the healing books in all of the Kingdoms; it was what they hadn't read that she needed.

_Princess Kakyuu scanned through the aisles a white candle in her hand. They had been down there for hours. Mathan had fallen asleep only two days before, High Priestess Helenos had sealed him off to any visitors as she prayed to the gods for help. _

_Kakyuu looked so calm as Fighter walked behind her a silent shadow, teeth clattering in the cold white the Princess walked as if she floated on air._

_In the middle of the hallway she turned around to go to the next aisle. _

_Fighter looked down the aisle; there were still books to be seen. The book where the Princess had stopped was a deep brown, and large enough to be grabbed with two hands, the bridge was withered and bound with leather cords; in a dark reddish-brown it read Shamans and Sacrifice: the book of the Damia._

"_Princess?" She kept on walking. _

"_But Princess, the people need Mathan, we should try!" _

"_My princess….we must explore all options. Mathan is still sick and-" The candle rolled the floor as the flame snuffed out, the sharpness of the slap still ringing in Fighters ears. _

_She immediately fell to her knees the feeling of her bare flesh hitting the stone floor sending tears to her eyes. "My Princess."_

_Kakyuu turned her back to her picking up the candle, blowing the naked wick back into a small flame. _

"_**Prince**__ Mathan is sick and I know that better than anyone, but I will not curse him to life with dark magic. Damia Healing is blood for blood, flesh for flesh, it never comes without a price. Remember that Fighter, let your arrogance not blind you from that plain truth. The next time you use Damia Healing, consider your head as its price."_

_Hot tears splashed against the stone floors as Fighter knelt her forehead to the cold ground. "Yes Princess, as She commands so it **must** be done." _

Fighter took a deep breath, but that was before, she was prepared to pay the price if only to bring back Mathan, to restore the Queen's happiness, the legitimacy of the throne, and so much more.

She had only walked a few paces before the fear in the pit of stomach morphed into a dull pain. Fighter kept on walking, she had to keep going but no sooner had the recognition of the feeling enter her mind did the pain become unbearable.

Her legs suddenly gave out underneath her. She tried to get up but she could only manage to prop herself with her elbows ground into the uneven stone floor. The slick sound of a wet pops confused her and before she realized it was her own bones dislocating. It was only seconds after which the darkness finally took her away and slipped into the peaceful silence of unconsciousness.

A white flame encased her entire body as her chest flattened, her sex elongated, and her bones broke and reformed longer and stronger.

Dark, long, lashes framing deep blue eyes opened for the first time in months.

"Dark Magic?...That Idiot."

The cool air raised goose bumps on his bare skin. He inhaled and stretched, it felt good just to be again.

His hand emitted the same glow Fighter used for her light source.

_Fuckety fuck fuck she went all the way to the Library of Monarchs. It's only a matter of time, before Kakyuu realizes that we went here, and that the council realizes we keep disappearing. And she cleared out the entire library. But I need this book, this speeds the plan up by at five months. _

He walked quickly down the aisles. He was right it was only a matter of time before someone realized Fighter was missing, or even worse, until Fighter realized why she was missing.

**CherrySerenity-sama, LoveInTheBattleField, Alisa thank you so much for the reviewsss**

**A lot longer ehhh? I know this chapter was a little boring but I needed to lay the groundwork for the other chapters! When it gets going it's going to be super action packed so stay turned! A lot of research and rereading the manga went into this chapter, of course with my own twists. **

**Do you think Serena should be a virgin in this story?**

**They're all eighteen now so more about school life drama? Less Kinmoku? Review and reply please! **


	3. Suprises and Secrets

"How long did you know?"

"Well I remember I was coming home from school and I saw you rushing towards that big creepy tower thing and I just knew. It just made sense. I saw all the scars you'd been hiding, and we just never hung out anymore. You, Lita, Raye, Amy, and Mina? The five of you suddenly best friends? You gotta admit it was a little strange and then that day it all just…clicked."

Serena turned towards her friend and then settled on looking out the window. "I never meant to hurt you. All of my friends have been attacked once, some of them hurt, very very badly." She let out a dry laugh. "-And those that got better only tried to protect me and got hurt again. I never meant to keep this from you. I was going to tell you. I really meant to. Your like a sister to me and Ms. Baker, was, **is **like a mom to me. Its just that problems with the scouts snowballed and the longer I took to tell you the more complicated the story became. Every time something happened with the scouts I wanted to call you, I would pick up the phone and almost call but I realized eventually it was too dangerous, and it wasn't all my secret to tell."

Molly concentrated at the road straight ahead of and blinked away the coming tears. "I know. We've been friends for over a decade; I've known you longer than I've known my sister-most of the time I like you more too. I missed you, but I knew ever time I saw a monster attack on TV that you were doing what you had to, what you needed to do."

She moved one hand of the steering wheel and grabbed Serena's hand that was balled up in her lap.

Serena looked at her best friend so torn up, and it was all her fault. She had dumped Molly as soon as she became Sailor Moon, and all of her other old friends. In the past she had excuses: monsters, evil, and all the drama with Darien but recently she had no reason to be not seeing her friend.

"I'm so sorry. I missed you too, every time something happened to me I wanted to call you and tell you everything but everything was tied up in my Scout life and I couldn't, wouldn't speak lies to you. I could never lie to you." She rubbed at her eye with the back of her hand and sniffled. "I really missed you too."

Molly wiped at her eyes from behind the sunglasses. "Enough of that, we're acting like we haven't seen each other in centuries. You're here now and that's all that counts. We have all day together to catch up so I'm taking you to my Mom's store because she missed you too. She glanced at Serena's hand before quickly returning her eyes to the road. "You can start with that ring."

The pink diamond still glittered like the first day she saw it. "It's a promise ring from Darien…before he died."

"What!" The car took a sharp swerve before Molly slammed the breaks. "Ok hold that thought I need to park this car." She rolled into the drive thru of a McDonalds, "Okay so you were engaged, and then widowed, fiancé-widowed. As a sophomore? Junior? Senior? Details!"

* * *

Raye curse softly as stared at the blood pearl at her finger from the origami paper.

Mina called from across the room, "The Tsukinos are in!"

* * *

Serena leaned reclined the seat in the fast food parking lot cradling her hash browns.

"So then after the Beryl, Diamond, and Metallia, and Wiseman, and Chaos you basically know everything."

"What about Seiya?"

"What about him?"

"I've always wanted to ask you about him, I mean you were besties with the Seiya Kou, he was a Superstar. He seemed so into you!"

A blush crept its way up her face. "Seiya and I were best friends and he was a Sailor Scout, well a girl. I really still don't know how that all happened but he doesn't even live on this planet anymore."

The words about his gender and living situation didn't seem to phase the teen. "So you were just friends."

"Yup." Serena shifted in her seat, she felt Molly digging for answers, answers she didn't have.

"And you never went on a date? Been in his car?"

"Well, we went to an amusement park once, and he gave me ride home a couple times, but I don't know, everyone around me had died and he was one of the last people who stayed by my side. When Dare died in that plane crash-I mean they were all reborn but I was so…"

Her eyes darkened as goose bumps rose on Molly's arms, the car suddenly felt much colder.

"Alone. I guess I felt very alone."

Serena shook her head and laughed, taking a huge bite of the hash brown "I don't really want to talk about that time anymore."

Molly placed a warm hand on her, "I'm sorry Rena, I didn't mean to make you relive it." She started up the engine again. "I know what will make you feel better; my mom has a birthday gift for you at her store, well more like four birthday gifts combined, come on."

Serena smiled assuringly and placed her forehead on the window. Molly was right she didn't have dwell on the past. It was peaceful now, but in her life peace only came right before some great danger.

_I should just enjoy this…while it lasts._

* * *

Fighter was concerned, well more than concerned she was frustrated and confused. She had entered the library…and well that was all she remembered, when she woke up she was laying on the floor in her own sweat, with a stack of healing books by her side.

She glared at the pile from her bed. Had she not had the power to even open the Damia books? But even if she couldn't open them how did she get the healing books? And who put them there?

She clutched her head and felt the annoying pulse of a headache brewing. Fighter leaned over and plucked a leaf from the small plant growing in the corner of her room. She gagged at the bitter taste but relaxed as she felt the headache ease away.

She needed to get back to work but everything was still sore, she had been commanded to rest for the day by the Queen who had felt her distress but had no idea where she was, and what could she say she was sneaking in the library, so she lied and said she had no idea what had happened…which was partially true.

These blackouts, seizures whatever they were had been happening ever since they were reborn, sometimes weeks apart, sometimes only days, this time it had been months. Helenos had hypothesized that it came with stress and granted she was stressed when she had tried to "borrow" the books.

She had to think clearly. What happened? The only clue she had were the meaningless books she had somehow brought up with her…

Fighter winced as she reached over and dragged the book towards her, if she had no idea what happened maybe the clues were in the books.

She sat up and strands of onyx spilled over her bed. She quickly tied her hair up into a bun. She had insisted that it was an unnecessary nuisance and should be cut but the Queen had pleaded with her to keep it.

She traced the engraved silver letters with her fingers as she read. "Spells, Spirits, and Syndromes"

The Sailor Scout flopped backward on the bed and counted the bumps on the ceiling as she thought.

Mathan suffered from no spell, Helenos would have found it immediately but what if it was some kind of poison or sickness?

She flipped the latter third of the book, glancing briefly at the hand drawn graphics of sicknesses she had never even heard of.

"Gemini Syndrome…" Something compelled her to stay on the page and she quickly skimmed, hand already poised to turn to the next page.

"Gemini Syndrome…the condition when one body is divided into two, and the second body instead of dissipating into the astral plane takes over and instead uses the original body as a host, in some cases fading away, but in more serious cases taking over.

"Cures…a drink from the fountain of Castor and Pollux on the Gemini Shrine in the Holy City…ughh"

Fighter grabbed her head.

_No, no, no, pleassssse, please Great Mother not this again! _

In the same way before her body remade itself into its male counterpart, breaking itself before rebuilding again.

Seiya stood up woozy, and a little disoriented, it always took more energy when he transformed so frequently, but Fighter was somehow getting stronger and he couldn't have her knowing what exactly was going on until he was far away from here as possible.

He half stumbled half walked over to the closet, it was bare, and Fighter didn't have many possessions except for a few gifts from the Queen still in their festively wrapped boxes. Once he had considered selling them, after they separated who knows how Fighter would treat him, or how he would survive, but they were Fighter's he had no business with them.

He pushed the boxes aside and felt around for lock to the false bottom, lifting up the pale red of a messenger's tunic, he needed no real disguise, and no one had ever seen him before. After he slipped on the simple clothes he looked back over the room once and stepped on the ledge of the simple square open window, leaping of and free falling to the ground below.

He landed into the soft green grass of the palace's inner courtyard, with construction going on the place was still loud and filled with Reconstruction Workers, hundred of faces buzzing around.

The messengers were fewer but hardly bothered with others as they rushed from one palace to another while everyone worked quickly to rebuild enough holocoms for the all the kingdoms.

From the looks of it, it would only be a few minutes before the stable guards switched but that would be enough, he had to work quickly if he had any chance at all of escaping before Fighter came back again.

* * *

"I can't stop looking at them."

Serena looked at the diamond crescent studs that glittered in the light that streamed in from the passenger window.

"Momma Baker is soooo nice. I haven't seen her in ages but she still remembered my birthday. She still smells like jasmine-"

"-and the jewelry cleaner machine." The two looked at each other before pausing and laughing.

The car came to a stop as Molly slid into a parking space closest to the entrance.

The girls milled around the mall grabbing items for the sleepover they planned to have that night.

She grabbed Molly's elbow as her friend was rifling through her purse for the keys. "I've been thinking I'm in need of a little trim."

Molly looked at her own hair, scrutinizing the split ends that had suddenly made themselves known to her. "Yeesh, I guess I'm in need of a little hair therapy myself."

The two walked in and were met by a the store clerk, for a mall store it looked a little more upscale then the rest of the stores in the mall. A perky, unnaturally blonde, orange skinned woman turned her scowl into a plastered smile when she noticed the two. "Walk-ins?"

Serena blushed and nodded, "Yeah we're happy to wait for-"

The phone ringing interrupted her, as the woman held up a perfectly manicure finger to interrupt, "Hold on I got a call."

"Exact cut, where you get exactttttly what you want this is Lisa Mae how may I help you?" The girl rolled her eyes before opening a big notebook and scribbling out something.

"No."

"Yes."

"Yes."

"Hahahah," Her laugh sounded positively evil, a cross between a cackle and a giggle and ended in a hiss. "Definitely not."

She hung up and looked the girls over, "It seems like the five thirty appointment just canceled so we do have space." She looked at Molly, her red hair streaked with strawberry blonde in the front and all shades of red hues due to the summer sun.

She pointed a French manicured hand at Serena, "You. Turn."

Serena nervously did what she was told, and her thick blonde braid swung around to slap the back of her calves and nearly trailed on the floor.

"Mika we got a redhead for you and Javier the blonde is all yours."

She picked up the phone and started dialing, signaling the end of the conversation.

In a few minutes both girls leaned back as the hairdressers inspected. Javier, a witty Ecuadorian man undid her braid and whistled as he ran his fingers through her golden tresses.

"You want a trim? Your hair is the longest that I've seen in a while, we should cut."

Serena looked at the locks that had been an almost security blanket for her for all her life. She couldn't cut it. But the again she was supposed to be growing up, getting older. "How much do I have to cut to donate?"

The man grinned and opened up a drawer to a collection of glittering scissors, "Minimum of six inches…"

"I can do more I guess."

She could see him nod as he tied her hair and started cutting.

Afterwards, the two walked out of the store, bags in hands and Molly fumbling to remember where they parked Serena could hear her phone ringing.

She switched the bags to one and arm and answered quickly cut short her "Nagareboshi he" ringtone.

"Hello?" She could hear Andrew's friendly tone on the other hand and felt her heart ache a little, she hadn't been to the arcade in the longest time, and she had missed the man that had been like an older brother to her. "Andy…" the first feelings of guilt began to gnaw at her.

He quickly explained he would be out of town for an exhibit Rita was opening in a museum a few hours out and he wanted to give her birthday present before he left.

"Thanks so much. I'll be there I'll promise."

She hung up looked down trying not to cry, it was too juvenile of the new her, but Andy still remembered her when she hadn't even spoken to him in months, much less given him any birthday presents. She sniffled and tried to blink away the forming tears but when she looked up again her eyes were still wet.

Molly stopped walking in front of her sensing her friend's discomfort. "What's wrong?"

Serena shook out her shoulders and smiled. "Nothing, Andy just wants us to meet him at the arcade, because he wants to give me an early birthday present."

They were in the car and in a little under a half an hour; just as the sun was beginning to set they were on the outside of the Crown Arcade.

Molly parked outside while Serena knocked on the empty screen door.

"Nobody's here."

Molly locked up and twisted the door knob, "It's open…"

There was nothing but silence and darkness, when there was a loud pop, the lights fluttered on and a room full of all of her friends and family jumped out.

"SURPRISE!"

Molly burst out laughing as Serena peeked over her shoulder. "What…."

Her whole family, the inners, and outers, Andrew, Darien, Luna, Artemis, Mrs. Baker, even Melvin stood smiling at her. She stepped out from behind Molly looking at all the decorations and presents and felt herself filling up with joy.

"But my birthday's tomorrow!"

Mina threw up the V sign, "That's why you never would have guessed its your surprise Birthday Countdown Party!"

She was so still surprised though the gifts, cake, presents and video messages from her old friend and even Ms. Haruna wishing her well on her studies now that she had graduated. Sammy now towering over her gave a speech so sweet she almost cried for the third time that day.

She wasn't the only one surprised she had cut her hair to mid thigh, it was still long but she couldn't get over how different light felt.

Ten minutes to midnight, everyone walked up to the roof where simple pullout chairs had been arranged in a semicircle facing the full moon. The night sky was so clear that the moonlight illuminated the entire rooftop, with help form the glittering lights of the city.

Amy had handed out everyone glasses to see the eclipse; it was supposed to last from for thirty two minutes and would start exactly at 12:00 am, when Serena was born.

Luna had shone up whispered her the best wishes in her ear and bounded off but she knew the cat better to know she had been watching as the clock struck twelve with worried eyes, moments later she could see the tension fade and the cat lurk off somewhere.

Serena sighed contently and laid her head back on Darien chest; she could feel the weight of his head on her and snuggled against him. She could smell him, his sweet cologne that smelled of roses and cinnamon, she turned her neck so his head fell in the crevice of her neck and shoulder as the sat.

"I love you."

Serena turned to place a soft kiss on his cheek, "I love you too." And she meant it, his smell, his kindness, his love. She loved him. She nuzzled her face into his side, and the plastic glasses fell from her face and landed a few steps away from them,

Darien reached but she placed a hand on his shoulder "I got it."

She slipped of his lap and reached up to get the glasses, when she realized everyone had left, even her parents.

_How long have we been up here?_

She picked up the glasses, turning to look at Darien but captivated by the glowing orange moon.

_Blood slicked the floor, it was so bright and fresh. A golden helmet that looked like a lion head lay in the middle of a puddle. She could feel the coldness of the metal when she picked it up. _

"_You've done well, you take too long to unsheathe and swing but still, impressive." _

_A deep laugh that warmed her filled the air; surprisingly it came out of her throat. _

"_I'm a lover not a fighter." _

"_Every woman in all of the kingdoms knows that."_

"Darien?" She waved her arms around her blindly; everything was too bright she couldn't see anything. She could hear footsteps coming closer. Was it a new enemy?

She crouched on the ground feeling for anything, a phone, the blood she had just seen.

"Dare?"

_A glass vase clattered to the floor and white flowers glittered with glass shards on the marble floor. _

"_Yours or mine! Choose! I didn't give up Mars for nothing." Her arms were grabbing a smaller woman but she just couldn't see who it was._

"_Choose!" _

_She could see the white pillars, the striking sapphires and diamonds that glittered on the sheets behind them, but the woman directly in front of her still was covered in the strangest fog, the more she tried to look and make sense of it all the more it blurred._

"_Choose Damnit!" _

_She could feel the rage pouring into her system overtaking her, such livid anger and a hatred blooming so pure it could have only started from love. She couldn't see, she couldn't think, couldn't breath it was so strong._

_She heard her voice drop to a whisper and the hands moving upward towards the woman throat. _

"_I guess I'll have to do it for you."_

Every intake of breath burned her, she could still feel the urge to draw blood, taste flesh, hurt something, or _someone. _

Darien peered over his beloved girlfriend, first she had stood there standing bare faced to the solar eclipse and then suddenly she had fallen crying his name, eye wretched shut.

Slowly a red circle drew itself on her forehead dotted in the middle, it glowed orange as Serena clutched him, tears pouring down her face but eyes still screwed shut.

"Help."

Her head jerked back as her body stiffened and another vision rocked her.

_It was a palace, a great throne room bathed in yellow and red,, there were five men in the room all sitting around a circular table, but once again she couldn't see their faces._

"_Do we kill her?" _

_She could hear herself speaking, but it was that same joking voice turned serious, "No!" _

"_We can't let her live, you would be the disgrace of the kingdom if she survived after such a disgrace." _

_Her male hands slammed on the table making gold wine goblets clatter. "We can't wage war! We can't kill her!" _

_She recognized the voice from the earlier vision. "Brother you must have some reason for this preposterous idea of saving her." _

_Heart breaking sadness like an ocean washed over her, and then a different wave of emotion overcame her, the rage was back. She gasped and tried to take a breath but it was already there, already back. _

_She felt her hand grab the solid goblet and squeeze the neck until it bent to her will and dark purple liquid spilled out, "She's fucking pregnant." _

The insignia flared, and her eyes shot open.

All Darien could see was the opaque redness of her eyes staring back at him.

-Chapter End-

**Author's Note!- Time on KINMOKU TRAVELS TWICE AS FAST THAN TIME ON EARTH! **

**Can't wait to see you on the next chapter: In Sickness and in Health **


	4. In Sickness and In Health

All the scouts sat patiently outside around the wooden table at the shrine waiting to hear any news.

Artemis sat in Mina's lap eyes fixed on what might be going on the other side of the paper door where Amy, Raye, Darien and Luna were working to figure out what was going on with Serena.

Mina had made the call to the Tsukinos that they had all gone over to Raye's house for a birthday sleepover, but it was only a matter of time before they started asking questions. Yet at the moment it was the least of their problems.

Lita walked in with another tray of coffee, tea, and cookies for the ladies. Luckily Serena had passed out when Darien had loaded her into the car so no one suspected anything but if during the drive back she began another episode who knew what would've happened.

As Lita set the food on the table and sat between Amara and Mina the sounds of Serena gagging and dry heaving were enough to put away anyone's lingering appetites.

Lita pushed the cookies aside and began pouring the coffee, the least she could do was to help keep people awake. It had already been ours and still had been no progress.

Michelle sat in the corner of the room praying softly in a language no one understood with the sacred mirror on her lap, laying as dull as any other household antique.

Trista had come and departed hours ago and whispered something about the time gates, everyone had assumed she had gone to look for answers there.

Amy rechecked the thermometer once again; Serena core temperature was 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Physically impossible. She clicked rapidly away the minicomputer she had hooked up to wires that connected to Serena's forehead.

"Darien, ask them for more ice."

He nodded wiping his sweaty palms on his khaki pants and got up, his black hair was matted to his forehead, dark bangs glued in sweat patched to the back of his neck. He still didn't understand what was going on, she had gotten up for one second and he had been dozing off and then all of a sudden she was down.

Raye sat in her full miko dress kneeling before the Great fire rubbing prayer beads frantically between her palms, but all she could see was fire, it was showing her nothing and when they tried to put Serena closer to it, when her temperature had dipped suddenly, it grew as if almost trying to reach out to her.

She could hear Serena's fingernails scraping on the floor and broke her concentration to see the insignia growing on Serena's head once more.

"Raye do you have a cord or something? She scratching her fingers raw, and her hands are covered in splinters! Darien hold her hands together! Stop her!"

The quietest scout had become the commander of this mission. Her fingers fired away as she tried to analyze the information coming in to her computer from her Princess's unconscious body.

She pressed a button and a thin silver blade hissed out of the side of the computer, she gathered a drop of blood from Serena's raw fingers and placed a thin piece of glass over it creating a slide.

"We'll know what's going on soon enough. Raye something for her hands!"

The fiery scout nodded, in soldier mode, she couldn't be sentimental right now she just had to figure out what the hell was going on. She bit the cuff of her sleeve and ripped off enough of the cloth to tie bind her friend's together.

"We'll need mittens so she doesn't try to scratch herself."

Luna peeked out from behind Darien, "I'll get them." Her voice was hoarse and it sounded like it hurt her to speak.

Raye finished the knots and peered over her beloved friend. She brushed aside her damp bangs to see the glowing mark. As soon as her fingers touched it she was sucked in the same vision.

_At first she was overwhelmed, the heat, it was so thick it made her vision swim. _

_She could see the boots of a man on a golden throne. She was kneeling and felt the fear in her heart, and the sweat on her back making her heavy clothes stick to her. _

"_So you failed?"_

_The words came pouring out of her mouth she had no control over it. "Yes."_

"_And how many of my men did you kill?" _

"_Only seven Father." She wanted to tell herself to shut up, but she had no controlover what she was saying._

"_Only?" He paused and she could hear him slurping loudly from whatever he was drinking a cup of it had rolled next to him its contents spilled. It smelled bitter and dark. _

"_Sergeant General Sekthar and six others of my best soldiers, and you say only seven. Did you not know General Sekthar?"_

"_Dearly, Father ." _

"_Then what would he always say?" _

_She gulped, "One of my men is worth seven of any others, Father." _

"_Then did you not kill forty-nine of my men?" _

_She could hear approaching footsteps as the fear welled up and bloomed inside of her._

"_Your mother should have stopped nursing you when you stopped sucking her tit. She loved you so much it killed her thinking you were better than your brothers, thinking you would return so soon. You lay waste to our best fighters! You think Soltha's wisdom would have worn off on you but instead you receive her father's foolishness! Forty-nine lashes for forty-nine men." _

_She could feel her body squirm as the guards tried to drag him away. _

_He waved his thick bejeweled fingers and the guards stopped. "Don't move him. Do it here. Let's see how brave the little prince is now." _

_Four men had lined themselves up on the castle walls. She could feel their eyes on her without seeing them. Other hands ran over her body as they removed her armor. The metallic taste of blood pricked her tongue as she bit down and the first lash of the whip came down. _

"_One!" _

_They broke skin with the first hit._

Raye gasped and crawled backward until she hit the wall, back still tingling and chest heaving.

She could see Serena wincing with each blow, the tears flowing down her face mingling with the glaze of sweat. How long had Serena been stuck in these too real nightmares. Who were the men? Why was she being beaten? If that man was king and she, they were calling him father were they a princess? But from what kingdom?

And why Serena? Why was she getting these visions?

Darien and Raye met eyes, but she wasn't with him, her mind was still reeling from the remnants of the vision.

"Her heart is slowing down, she's not breathing!"

* * *

Serena found herself in the throne room again, her back still felt sore. Everything was covered in a thick fog but she knew the outline of the throne. The thick pillars that seemed to go till forever were still there.

There was no warmth here, in fact it was just cold. She looked down and saw the billowing white of the dress she wore often during the Silver Millenium.

"Is anyone here?" She said it so it was just above a whisper. From her recent adventures she didn't know if she wanted to know what awaited her this time.

She could her footsteps coming towards her.

"It is not fire, not a simple flame, it is all light all warmth and all heat. It is the only gift I can give you and still it is a curse as well as a blessing. All other powers bow to this gift, without fire there is no light and in darkness only evil can flourish, but with it comes such anger and passion, such rage. As I'm sure you've seen, if you cannot overcome it then it will overcome you. I have seen you and watched you. You hold a by the like of which I have never seen, such warmth even I in the other world can feel it. But you are too naïve, too self sacrificing….your mother's traits. I wish you were a bit more hardened. And after this I know you will be."

She could see him, but once again he was somehow hidden from her, as if her eyes were working but her brain just couldn't process it. He was getting closer but still she couldn't see him.

It was like in class when she read the same paragraph over and over and still had no idea what she had just read. It was almost as if she had suddenly been cut off from reality.

He touched her and her dress disappeared and she was in her most vulnerable form.

Thick pink ribbons covered her entire body and fluttered backwards as the silvery crystal boomed from her chest.

It looked so much smaller in his rough wide hands then when she held it. He lifted her chin to his eyes so she could see him, his eyes with slowly being covered in a red lens that had started swirling in his pupils and suddenly reached outward.

She looked down for only a second, enough time to see him take her silver crystal and crush it.

* * *

"She flat lining! I can't feel her pulse, Darien start the CPR! She's dying!"

* * *

Blackness was creeping at the edges of her vision but he held her up with one hand.

He opened his hand again and the crystal bloomed into a blood red glass rose. He stepped forward and the haze finally lifted.

She could see the crown of long hair that fell to his shoulders but was tied back into a low pony tail. His skin was a warm bronze and his face was a lot more and angular than hers but wider to. He had sharp cheek bones, and piercing dark red eyes. His lips were full and curved into a soft smile, an expression his face didn't seem to accommodate his features, but she could tell he was trying not to look…forceful.

He was all sparking gold from his armor and to the orange cape that billowed past him. Brown riding pants met with gold shin guard and golden booth. The gold roaring helmet rested in his other arm. On his breast plate a detailed circle with flared wings and a circle in it center almost like an embroidered target.

The ribbons darkened to a deep red and molded to her body. The dress went straight across her chest in a straight neckline from shoulder to shoulder, and was comprised of deep red lace that fit her like a glove. Transparent cup sleeves were patterned with tiny roses and at her waist the dress suddenly shifted color with a burst of gold lace that formed a tail behind her. It seemed like a dress Galaxia would have worn. It seemed so unlike her.

The heat was back, but the sudden change in temperature soothed her this time.

She traced the strange symbol carved above the circle's outer edge directly over his heart.

She didn't realize how close or how safe she felt when she thought. _'What does it mean?'_

"Death fears me. If I had taken you that day, you would've known, and later you could have defended yourself."

He crushed her to his chest and kissed her forehead.

"It has been so long, my golden star. So long and this is the first time I will ever meet you, smell you, touch you, and the very likely the very last. He hunched his hulking frame over to touch foreheads with her. "So prepare yourself, because the sun was at the beginning and will be at the very end. I give you everything, the blessing and the curse, the love and hate, the passion and purity,"

The solar sign flared on both of their foreheads.

"-my first hello…and my final goodbye." He crushed her to his chest and started chanting in her ear, she could feel his heart racing as he rested his chin on her neck. His skin was hard and cold but the power that swirled around him was so hot it felt like it was burning her.

"_Morsos miedokos meed, hoik miedoko tos. _Death feared me and now fears you. Goodbye Serenity, my little golden sun."

* * *

Seiya fed another orange fruit to the horse which chomped on it happily. It had been three days already by the end of the day it would be four. Out of the gate he had gotten too excited pushed the horse too hard to soon and it had almost collapsed at the end of the first day.

The pair had stayed closed to the small rivers so the could get fresh water and avoid the thieves that swarmed around the main roads. He stared into the mahogany eyes of the horse, Naito,"Sorry bro."

He pet the auburn hair that formed a diamond patch on its long face. He had ridden every horse in the Queen's stable, trying to see which one was the fastest, had the most endurance, this one was the best combination of both.

It had taken months sneaking into the stables after dark, earning the trust of the horses, especially earning the trust of this horse. He fed his companion another fruit, one more than usual, resting his head against his. It wasn't just the horse's fault they had to stop, he needed to rest.

On his other trip he had decided not to sleep at all thinking

At first he didn't get much sleep because he thought if he had Fighter would have bubbled back to the surface but then he realized he had always overtook her when she was tired not when she was sleeping. Then they had to rest every few hours just so he would always be alert and ready.

"Naito."

He rubbed scratched the small diamond patch of white in the center of the horse's long face, its long tongue lapped out and left a trail of saliva from his chin to temple.

Naito was the unruliest, horse in the entire stable so it was to no ones surprise that he was often missing because he broke out so often. At one time they even thought to sell him off after he had almost trampled a stable boy to death.

"But you were just tired, weren't you buddy, always waking up on the wrong side of the stable, ne?"

Naito was once the Queen's war horse, always the first into battle at the front lines, ridden by the proudest heroes on the parades after battle, after he injured his front leg, he was out of it and the training they put him through to get back to his former glory only embittered him.

Seiya was the first one to not be so harsh with him even though in their beginning trips he had suffered so bites and bucks from his giant friend.

"Here we go boy!" The city lay just ahead and the makeshift tents of the travelers and beggars began to multiply.

Dirt covered fingers scraped against his slightly worn in boots and slid down the sides of Naito's silky coat.

"Please sir, for my baby."

A woman with limp brown hair covering her face let the cloth of her cloak slide of her bony should to display her child still lapping at her sagging breast.

"Just a shimpa, please, for food."

Seiya looked on with sorrowful eyes he had not even a coin to feed himself, he had stolen a royal horse and that alone would eventually catch up to him. He hugged the thick leather satchel that he kept in hidden in Naito's stall, a place people really didn't like to linger. It contained everything he would need for this journey but nothing that would be useful to these people.

Everyone with a morsel of morals believed in the threefold law, whatever you put out comes back to you threefold, and he had stolen a royal horse bred and raised in the palace would be worth maybe a thousands of shimpas, enough to feed this woman for possibly the rest of her miserable life.

The rest of the city was no better. The "Holy City" was full of beggars and rich men. Merchants maneuvered through the crowds without so much as batting an eye as the hoards of children tugging at the ends of their silk cloaks. They looked after the workers at their stalls which sold everything from Holy Water to heal sickness to Sanctified Soil, guaranteed to make your crop flourish.

People called the city the Eye of Kinmoku. The shape of the city, which was bigger than many colonies, was a giant elipse which housed the travelers, merchants, and cellars, the smaller section, the iris or the Outer Ring was were the common shrines, and deeper still were the pupil of the eye, the inner ring where the more important shrines lay with only certain people could enter.

The streets were the veins of the eyes. Stone roads were at the center of an ancient city built long before horses and carriages, and teleporters, thin intersecting streets crisscrossed all over the place every other one leading to a dead end.

The richest kingdoms brought their princes and princesses to be blessed before marriages, or their queens to be prayed over before birth, the most important people passed before High Priestess Helenos, the woman in charge of the Holy City's most important shrine the god who created Kinmoku, Kinma.

"MOVE ASIDE PRINCE CLAUS OF THE AVAN KINGDOM"

Three bulky guards strode on each side of the tall coffin that held the prince. The prince of Ava was held in a container that could not have allowed him much room to turn over but from the layers of sky blue curtains you could see the faint outline of a reclined figure.

No one dared to cut in front and suddenly the bustling street was cut open and the crawling homeless disappeared into the alleys of the city.

Seiya quietly lead his horse from the side to right behind the caravan, it almost looked like he belonged with them, if not for his dirtied red and gold announcing that he was from the Tankian kingdom.

It would be easier that way though, people left the caravan alone and by some strange stroke of luck left him alone as well, it would be half a days walk to the center, the caravan was slow moving but a peaceful journey that would still be quicker than wading through other people. He looked forward at the back of moving tent, a scroll Aryan language covering the back.

It was better then to look down at the huddled masses of the starving, and sick, waiting, to no avail to, to be alleviated of a life that had left them so desperate in a city that was said to have healing powers.

Seiya had tried to be prepared for this. Everything he had studied on the Holy City had pointed to this. Every study suggested the city was a magnet for those looking for something better, that every penny they begged for they gave to the shrine of Shimpara goddess of the poor.

He knew from every story he had ever heard through Fighter's ears that the only way to be rich here was to be corrupt. He knew that assassinations were common, and that the scrolls were of protection from the assassins but the only way to get them was to risk your life coming to Helenos, feeding into an endless cycle.

He knew all of these things, and still he came, because he had to, here was the only way he could separate from Fighter finish phase one of his plan and then find his way back to her.

* * *

Amy shut her minicomputer. "…I don't know."

Her solemn statement gave all the scouts her attention.

"How?" Luna asked.

"Because I have taken into account all of her symptoms into every known data-"

"No Amy, go over how this all started maybe the answer is there."

Amara stood up and paced the room. "Darien said he saw her eyes glow completely red before she passed out, somehow triggered by this eclipse."

Lita shivered and stared down at the assortment of cookies she had baked biting into a cold sugar cookie. "The last time there was an eclipse…Is this the work of the Dead Moon Circus?"

Amara continued on, "And then Raye's vision, General Sakthar, Soontha, they don't seem to have anything to do with any enemy we've known."

Raye added in from her position still in the corner of the room. "It looked like we were in a palace, a gaint throne room, but it was a man on the throne not Metallia."

Trista suddenly appeared, everyone looked at her expectedly to which she responded by shaking her head, "Nothing is out of the ordinary, the future seems fine."

Luna lifted her head up, "Does that mean we should be more or less worried?"

"The time gates, neither helps, nor hurts us so it's a factor we shouldn't consider at all." Amy stood and beckoned Trista to the other room where Darien, still studying pre-med, was watching over Serena.

Amara stopped pacing, "But maybe it doesn't have anything to do with the future, but the past. The mark on Serena's forehead, the men assembled in a throne room, maybe it has something to do with the Silver Millenium.

Trista paused one foot in the other room, "The mark on her forehead?"

Amara responded, "A circle, or maybe half a circle, it glows so white that its blinding and we can barely see what it is."

Mina shook her head, "I still don't get it, what does an ancient kingdom have to do with Serena in the present? Why is it making her so sick?"

Luna's head sank and she felt Artemis's tale interlocking with hers to comfort her. "We'll figure this out, we always do."

* * *

The sun was going to set soon, and the caravan had taken him far enough. The caravan had moved on to the inner gate, where all the most important shrines were, no beggars, peasants or civilians allowed. It was where the most important gods rested, Kinmo, Raz, Tankana, Dreak, all of them had shrines there but it was none of his business, all he needed to go to was the Gemini shrine it was small enough that it was at the Outer Ring and never that crowded.

The Gemini shrine was a place where only separated twins looking for each other, or mother giving birth to twins prayed at. Twins weren't very common and so the fountain was secluded especially as night approached and the Holy City became more dangerous.

He dismounted from Naito. He had waited four years for this moment. Four years searching for answers. Hours upon hours of studying maps of the Palace of the Holy City, or other kingdoms searching for any way to free himself from his prison.

The fountain of Castor and Pollux was secluded, it was a minor shrine and most people tried to get home before night fell on the city. He had wondered for months what to tell her after they separated. Would it be better to go somewhere secluded? Or somewhere with people in case she tried to attack him? Would she want him not care what she did with him?

Seiya tried to rub away the tiredness creeping in his eyes and yawned it was now or never.

The fountain was made of stone carved from the mountains in Velena Dessert, pure white. Even for a lesser deity it was still magnificent because it was hardly used. The area around was clear and the only noises interrupting the quiet scene were the distant voices of people from the other shrines.

He lowered his canteen in the water. Filling it to the brim, according to his studies he would only need a few drops but, he had other purposes for the water.

He stepped into the clearing again, taking a breath and then taking his first sip.

Nothing happened.

He sighed and took another sip.

Naito lapped from the fountain and licked his masters face. Seiya laughed petting the horse, so it was useless, another dead end, just like the root in Florae had been, just like the Terkmesh oasis in Zagar, even how the cloud essence of Ava had been.

He throat dry up and the brewing of tears he wouldn't let fall. "Let's go home."

He stood to mount his horse again when his knees gave out. He couldn't let Fighter take over, not here, she would put the pieces together, she would know he existed, the rumors of the well, the bag he was carrying he really thought this would be it.

But he couldn't fight her it had been to long since he had rested, he was tired, disappointed, and she was determined.

He remembered Naito's crazed eyes as the horse raised its forelegs into the air, and then he blacked out.

"Wake up!" Her voice was a harsh whisper in his ear.

He was naked and cold, for a second he wondered what was going on before he saw his clothes hanging off of her smaller frame.

"Who. Are. You."

It happened and even though her hands were over his throat he could feel the tension ease from his body. Years of planning had finally come to fruition he could finally start phase two, he was finally one step closer.

He couldn't help but smile broadly at her, "I'm me."

-Chapter End-

**Yay for page breaks! I finally fixed the glitch so the story is easier to read thank you to my readers. Bring on questions, comments, critiques, even flames? Hahah. The next chapter is basically done but just needs some editing and I'll be getting more time to write soon sooooo see you in the next chapter Flowers and Frustrations**

**thanks for the reviews Alisa, LoveintheBattlefied and new follower LinkTsunamiGirl**

**xoxSerenityxox**


	5. Visions and Visitations

"Can I have my clothes back?"

Fighter placed more weight on his neck and disregarded his question, "What are we doing here? Answer or die."

Seiya flipped them over, in one fluid motion pinned her hands to bumpy stone. "Well if you don't want to answer me I don't have to answer you either. But I'm gonna need those pants back. It's gonna get pretty nippy out here, and since you don't have any of answers and no weapons I wouldn't be making any threats, as empty or otherwise."

He let out a low whistle and in a few moments Naito trotted towards him. "If I let go of you don't go running away. You know how dangerous the Holy City is at night for a woman."

She spit at him.

Seiya let the glob of saliva hit the side of his face and slide down his neck, "I'll take that as a…maybe?"

He leaned back and reached into the package on Naito's back and pulled out a pair of clothes, but he never broke contact with her. "These are your size." He threw the clothes a few feet away from him and in one motion released her other hand and scooted backward to slip of the baggy pants from around her waist.

She lay on the ground completely nude from the waist down and nipples erect from the chilly night of the Holy City. She positioned her hands behind her head and threw herself up into a crouched motion, eyes still locked on him while she pulled on the better fitting pants. She didn't even turn around as she threw him his shirt and slipped on her own.

She noted how he didn't flinch at her nudity. Maybe he wasn't a lover of women.

"Now what?"

Seiya slipped on his pants and worked his head through his shirt.

"Hold on a sec."

Seiya rifled through his bag, pouring the water from the canteen into two smaller vials. He squeezed the smaller bottles closed and placed them back in the bag.

"Now we just go by the river and drop you back at the palace."

She walked towards him and noted how the shirt, pants, even the shoes fit her perfectly.

"Why at the palace?"

"Because that is where you live, Sailor Star Fighter. Do want to ride behind me so you can try to strangle me as I ride or in front so you can attempt take control of the horse and somehow leave me stranded somewhere."

He didn't even turn to look as Fighter leaped onto Naito and kicked its side, "Yah!"

Her voice only faded into an echo. The horse did not move.

Seiya mounted the horse behind Fighter, "You don't have to kick him." He rubbed to the spot where she had just hit, "its okay, she's just in a bad mood."

He took the reins from her hands and she let him, twisting uncomfortably so his arms wouldn't touch her body as much as he maneuvered the huge animal.

As they walked on the deserted roads away from the bright light of the Holy City she couldn't help but shudder. She had never been this way before; she had only ever come directly to the Inner Circle. The one way she would never have described the Holy City was dark, there was always lantern lit, fire dancers, star dust from parties glittering the ground, but the only light on the road ahead of them was from the full moon.

They rode in silence for a while before she spoke, "Why are we not traveling down the faster back roads?"

"Too many thieves and robbers."

"And will we not fight them?"

"With what weapons?"

Fighter thought of turning to glare at him, but she thought it childish in her already disadvantaged position. "What does the bag contain?"

Seiya patted it as Naito trotted onward heading toward the outskirts of the city, "Books, water, fruit for Naito, and that's about it."

"So we have no food, no shelter, and no way to defend ourselves."

Seiya chuckled, "Well that's where you're wrong", he tapped his forehead, and "We have our wit!"

_He must be some sort of delusional fool. But how did I find myself here? And how did he find me? The black outs…They are getting longer again. _

_You probably won't have any more of those again. _

Fighter's neck snapped back at him, she could feel her anger clouding her judgment; she took a moment to breathe and continued.

"How did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Do not pretend to be a fool. How did you enter my thoughts?"

"I didn't know I did."

_Telepathy? Interesting._

"I can hear you too."

They rode along for some time again with Seiya whistling a bright tune that she couldn't help but feel annoyed by.

"Why did you bring me here?"

"I brought myself here, and now I'm taking you home."

"Where did you find me?"

"On top of me, wearing my clothes, trying to kill me"

"What were you doing here?"

"Errands."

'What errands?"

"Errands."

She turned her face back toward the dark road ahead of them the only source of light was the moons reflection on the river. She was getting nowhere and she couldn't trust the answers she gave him anyway.

"Take me home."

He grinned; she was being a lot less difficult than was originally foreseen. "That's the plan."

* * *

"So what do we do now?"

"It's been almost two days, and she's shown no improvement. We can't take her to the hospital with her head glowing on and off every couple of hours and if we don't take her home parents are going to get worried."

Luna circled around the table for the umpteenth time, "So I guess that means that we need to spell them."

Mina flopped against the giant teddy bear that she brought from home the previous night, "Like how Rini did? What do we tell them, Serena's gone away to school? It's the beginning of July!"

"We'll have to tell them something, we can say that she's on a trip with us the whole summer, or gone off somewhere it doesn't matter. If they could believe they had another child, they'll believe that their daughter is on vacation." Lita added.

Luna pawed at the communicator, "Trista is the strongest one of us all I'll get her to work on how we can do it without moon magic Rini possessed or even what ChibiChibi used. Michelle can go with her; I doubt Amara's going to leave Serena's side."

"Well at least we've made progress on that front. Now all we need to do is heal Serena."

Lita pushed away her uneaten sandwich, she just didn't have an appetite anymore, "She was the one who did the healing not us…"

"She's talking!" Amara's voice carried over from the other room, alerting the scouts to and sending everyone rushing in.

Amara was leaning over her as Amy tapped rapidly onto her keyboard.

Darien had her head cradled in his lap hunched over with a cold towel in hand to wipe the sweat off her forehead.

"Parvar, nak meed. Nak sed meed!" Serena's eyes opened briefly and her eyes were still strikingly solid red.

"Nak sed meed."

Raye grabbed her hand.

_She could feel the spit rain on her face as he screamed at her, one hand pulling her hair back so her neck tilted and she was forced to look at him. _

"_Admit it. It was your fault. You broke into the stables and you stole your brother's horse and rode it to death." _

"_But I didn't!"_

_With one hand he threw into a wall on the other side of the room. When her body met the wall the pain rocked her and her vision blurred. "If not you, then who? Sol, Razthan, Sokta, Sunm. Tell me who and they will be punished." _

"_It wasn't me father!"_

"_Then who!?" _

_Two men brought her to her knees again; one squeezed her already broken wrist harder than he needed to. She looked up too me the cold gaze of his maroon irises. She couldn't say who, or even worse punishment awaited her. _

Raye grabbed her wrist, wincing from the throbbing pain. She grabbed Serena left hand that was turning purple and then as she watched faded into a horrible greenish bruise, and then was normal once again.

"Did anyone see that?"

Amara looked up at the scout of fire, "See what?"

* * *

"When are we stopping?"

"Soon. We'll sleep during the day travel by night. Naito likes it better like that anyway, he's not much of a morning person and neither am I…Will you try to escape and steal all my stuff while I'm sleeping?"

Fighter tried to keep her shoulders from tensing as she shook her head. He obviously knew her better than she knew him. "I won't say the thought hasn't crossed my mind."

"Well let's hope you don't. That wouldn't be very nice of you considering I'm giving you a free ride home."

"Nothing is free."

"Well I could only see it as fair if you could give me some food for the trip back."

"Do you live there?"

"At the palace?"

"Yes."

"I work as a messenger, hence the clothing. It's the reason I recognized you, even outside your uniform"

"Anyone can dress as a messenger to try to gain access to the palace."

Seiya focused really hard not to let his thoughts betray him. "I don't think I'm that clever."

"And you said your name was…"

"I never said my name."

"If you truly are a messenger I'll be able to find out who you are from your superiors."

"It won't matter, but you can try. This was my last job, after this I'm done being a messenger…I have somewhere I need to be."

"And that is?"

"Let's stop asking questions." He gestured toward a small wooded area a small walks downward from the river bed. "We'll stop here."

He dismounted and held out his hand to help her but Fighter simply hopped off from the other side.

Seiya smirked and lightly tugged on Naito's reigns leading him down the sloped hill to the clearing that lay hidden past the trees.

Fighter walked a few paces behind them.

Naito slowed down from his walk and stopped short of the clearing; Seiya keenly pulled out another shiny orange fruit a bit more red than the others and fed it to him.

The horse ate before settling down at the mouth of the clearing as if he were guarding them.

Fighter stepped from behind the large animal to see a space of clear cut bluish grass. The surrounding trees were tall and thick but in the middle of the tiny valley was a large stump that was enough for her to curl up on. Around it was the unusual bluish grass unlike the dark red type that grew on Kinmoku sprinkled with small pale white flowers that turned toward the moon petals still closed.

Seiya had already settled with the one arm under his head back turned toward her and looking at the moon.

She sat on a stump behind him. "Why do you trust me?"

"Hmm?"

"I could have easily come behind you with a rock and killed you."

He shrugged, repositioning himself so his head his pillow was his crossed hands underneath him. "But you didn't, and you won't."

"Because I am a Sailor Soldier?"

"No, I just had a feeling."

Fighter peered at the peculiar man once more and stepped on the other side of the stump curling to one side so she could only stare at the grass.

"This place is beautiful the first moon sets beautifully here; don't let worrying about me ruin the view."

"The first moon….next month is the three moon festival?"

"My favorite holiday."

"I haven't seen it since before the Revival."

"I've never missed it since then."

The two stayed like that for some moments, Seiya smiling until his cheek hurts, and Fighter frowning at the ground. Eventually she got up and walked away from the clearing and a little more into the woods, out of sight.

He called out to her, "Goodnight Sailor Star Fighter….Has anyone ever called you anything besides Sailor Star Fighter?'

He heard a voice call back from the woods, "Goodnight."

She finally fell asleep after she saw his body still and the slowed movement of his chest moving.

Hours later when Sailor Star Fighter awoke to the setting of Kinmo, their sun, she saw she was alone.

"…That bastard."

She did one sweep of the immediate area only to find that she was still the only person left. She could almost here Maker's calculating voice in the back of her head.

'_The moment you let your guard down…_

"-The enemy has the advantage." From her new position at the tree stump in the middle of the clearing she slowly turned in a complete circle but the only sounds were echo of a distant stream and birds. She sank onto the stump; she needed to get back to the palace, who would trust the strength of her word in plain clothes?

"Yoo-hoo!" Seiya tapped one hand on her shoulder.

Fighter jumped and attempted to swing her hand at her attacker but it was caught.

"You hungry?"

He switched the fish skewers over to his dominant hand. "Why are you so…on edge? I told you I would take you back to your home."

He placed the dish on the stump while he tended to the fire he had started earlier in the day. "Those should be done quickly."

"I was waiting for you."

"Getting breakfast."

"Where is your horse?"

"He's walking up the stream, I once thought he was on the look out for people but they're these two fruit trees on either end of the camp and he just walks back from one tree to another, eating, get hungry from the walk and eating again. It's hilarious."

Fighter stared at him, not amused.

"How did you find this place?"

"In my travels, after I was injured after a raid near a delivery site I was going to. It really was just great luck, and it was during the time of the festival so all of the flowers were in bloom. The grass here, its Luntharian grass, all the big plants that have the chance to grow are slowly sucked dry and die, so every year the clearing get a little bigger, and the forest a little smaller."

"I thought that the all of the Kingdoms agreed to eradicate it because it ruined the crops."

Seiya laughed and pet the soft grass. "It's true it caused the Luntharian Blight in the Florae kingdom almost two hundred years ago, but it's the only place that moon flowers grow, for some reason the grass doesn't kill them. And the grass also makes good padding for cloaks in the winter. Everything has an upside to it."

"Eventually someone will find it and destroy it."

"Most people don't even know what Luntharian grass is, much less what it looks like, you're a royal guard to the Queen, you know everything and you didn't know about it.

"True, but then how did you know this?"

"Just because I'm a messenger doesn't mean I don't know things." He picked at the fish and bit into the white flesh, "Yum! We'll have to take these to go."

Seiya let out the same low whistle as before and in a few moments Naito came through a parting in the trees.

"Good thing I didn't have to go looking for him."

He passed her one of the fish on a stick, "Back or front?'

"I'll go behind you."

"Still don't trust me, eh?" He shifted his bag from its position at his waist to slightly in front of him.

"Well let's go then."

* * *

Michelle slid the paper doors of the temple open. "It's done. We said that she's sleeping over at the shrine."

Mina blinked away the sleep out of her eyes, "And what if Serena…doesn't wake up today?"

"Trista altered they're reality of time…they way I understand it, they believe that Serena just went out, and for as long as we need they will be stuck in a time loop in relation to Serena, for now they'll always think she just went out."

"I hope she wakes up."

"Trista is resting now but she said she feels a change in the time continuum is about to happen.

"Hopefully one for the better."

* * *

"Well we're about a few paces off…So alas I must say that our journey is almost to an end."

"And what then…I still don't know what to call you?"

"Well since you we're basically here, I guess I can say my true name: Moon Flower."

She fought not to scoff. "Moon Flower?"

"How do you think I knew about the Luntharian Blight? My people were a Mountain Tribe in the peaks of the mountains between the Meridian and Zagar people. No trees, just rocks, so no one knows but the Luntharian grass still grows there makes for good winter coats, breaks down some of the oldest rock into good soil a-"

"Never mind. I don't need your far fetched tails. I just want to get home, the Queen will be worried."

"Well I've been called many things… a lover, a god on earth, an angel, but a liar!" Seiya laughed and Naito picked up the speed. "They would call you Intha!"

Fighter tried yelling over the noise of the horse's movement. "What is that?"

"It's a beautiful little black flower, super chewy, very bitter, it causes diarrhea!" He broad smile into a cackle as he urged the horse to go even faster.

As they approached the palace gates, a soldier from the top of the gray wall surrounding the palace cried at them. "HALT IN THE NAME OF QUEEN KAKYUU, MAY SHE REIGN FOREVER!"

Seiya immediately threw up her hands. "I'm just a messenger with an important package." He ducked his head so they could see Sailor Star Fighters face. "Sailor Star Fighter, this is when you identify yourself, and they don't shoot me on sight."

"Heyes! Stand down in the name of Sailor Star Fighter, head of the Royal Guard, protector of the people and Queen Kakyuu, may she reign forever!"

There was a pause as the man squinted from the top of the gate at the pair, but he put down the arrow and raised his hand.

"OPEN THE GATES, AND ALERT THE QUEEN, FIGHTER HAS RETURNED!"

With one creak the iron gates opened, and the two entered in the warm red grassy fields of the outer palace grounds.

Seiya immediately jumped off of Naito, "I gotta eat something! Are you hungry? I'm starving? Thanks for a fun ride, but I got a journey ahead of me and you put me behind schedule!" He ran off to the right and left her there standing puzzled.

A small girl in red intricately woven thin dress ran to Sailor Star Fighter. "Your back! We feared for your safety! The Queen has barely slept!" Her pale pink hair was woven into three braids that ended at her knees. Her small lips were still sticky with the dessert she had been eating before.

"You can't keep on disappearing! Healer says only the ghosts disappear and appear like you do."

Fighter smirked, "You've got to stop listening to those crazy stories she keeps on telling you. Take me to the Queen."

"And I just put her to bed; she hadn't slept at all last night thinking of where you ran off to this time." She skipped ahead, "But who was that nice man with you? Your brother? I didn't know that Sailor Scouts had brothers, or mothers, or fathers, but they do have sisters. Healer and Maker are your sisters, so you can have brothers, and mothers, and fathers too. I guess. I have to ask Healer. But he was handsome so he must be your brother. What was his name?"

Fighter looked off to the fields he had run off somewhere…but where?

"What was his name?"

Fighter shrugged a motion unlike her and more like Seiya. "His name was Moon Flower."

* * *

Seiya had just finished most of what had he do. He stuffed another bread loaf into his bag; it would be along time till he would see the moon flowers again. Even if everything went well it would be a long time. He would probably miss the Moon festival this year. He grabbed another sack full of food. At least this time he wouldn't have to worry about shifting, it would be the longest journey since his entire mission began.

He would probably have to stop by the library again…But it was still a while before the students would be done transferring the texts.

_The last couple of days I was too caught up with being separated I didn't even factor if the students time would correspond with the kitchen shifts._

He held his head in his hands. Somewhere out there had Fighter heard him? The unasked question was answered with silence.

Seiya laughed to himself, he was over thinking it.

"Well, onto phase two."

The main kitchen door burst open.

"Sir Moon Flower in the name of Queen Kakyuu, may she reign forever, put your hands up and kneel down, the Queen requests your presence."

"Shit."

-Chapter End-

**CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR A BETA-READER**

** Someone to help proofread, make note of inconsistencies in plot, etc.**

**IMPORTANT NOTE: TIME ON KINMOKU TRAVELS TWICE AS FAST THAN ON EARTH. **

**Another chapter DONE! I know the pace is slowish but we're heating up. **

**Please let me know if you would rather shorter chapters and faster updates or is the way it's going now fine? Leave a comment in the review box or pm with anything. **

**Thanks to all of those who reviewed **

**LoveintheBattlefield**


	6. Fight or Flight

Seiya walked squished from all sides in the middle of a troupe of soldiers. But he didn't care about the point metal catching his clothes and scraping the sides of his bare forearms, he was thinking.

_The Queen will take one look at me and recognize me on sight. And then…_

But who knows what would happen? He didn't even know how he had even taken over Fighter's body, or why it happened, or if the Queen would want to reverse it…There were too many unknowns, he couldn't deal with unknowns, he had learned to plan things out to so there would never be any.

He shook his head so that his hair fell in his face covering half of it in shadow. The slight movement caused a soldier on his right to press the tip of his sword onto Seiya's leg. They were taking extra precautions with him, yet they hadn't chained him up, there was still hope.

He didn't look too much like the old him did he? His hair was longer, and his face was scruffy, he never really had time to look at himself, there wasn't much time for vanity on his missions.

But how would he avoid seeing the Queen. She could recognize his voice. The safest thing would be to avoid seeing her at all.

A distraction would only get him killed; the guards seemed too eager for action. He could disguise his voice but…

The cards.

She would use her mystic birthright and if they revealed his true identity, even worse his true task she would never let him complete it.

They arrived at the throne room.

The pillars were made of gray stone with carved red etchings at the base spiraling up to the high roof. On the walls were spots where giant pictures of the monarchs were hung, toward the entrance a few of the oldest ones were missing, and the ghostly pale stain of what one was stood out in a room that looked new yet so old at the same time.

The floor was the same gray stone that the castle walls were made of. Not fancy, but sturdy, it was a part of while the castle that had taken a century to be built in the days of old had been almost recovered to its past beauty. Yet the soot stains of the fires had not all been washed away.

A stone table in the shape of a slight U was facing toward him three empty chairs that had backs with bars with the same look of the pillars in the throne room.

At the very front of the room was a tall half circle with red curtains falling down, covering the queen in shades of brilliant red, he could only see her figure, and three shadows on each side. Long braided tassels of gold hung down directly in front of the curtain their ends hovering teasingly above the floor.

"ALL KNEEL BEFORE HER HIGHNESS, THE GREAT QUEEN KAKYUU, MAY SHE REIGN FOREVER!"

Two guards appeared from the left and right wings parallel to the throne and with great effort pulled on the tassels so the Queen could be seen. They then walked forward and kneeled before her.

All of the guards kneeled and Seiya was sure to kneel with them, chin pressed to his chest in an effort to hide his face.

He stole a quick glance. Fighter was back in her Sailor uniform, her face looked blank but her eyes looked focused. On left hand side of the throne Sailor Healer, and Sailor Maker stood, they looked at him cautiously.

"Scouts you may be seated, guards, stranger, you may rise."

The scouts sat at a table separating the Queen from the Guards, but the seats were turned so that they faced him.

The guards rose, but Seiya remained kneeled. One guard grabbed his shoulder roughly, "The Queen, may she reign forever, said rise."

"Guards part, so I may see him."

Well it would definitely be the last time he ever entered the palace.

"Step forward, and state your name and position."

He would miss the stables, and the nice tea they served during the midday rest, the stone arrangements in the Garden of Peace…

Seiya stepped forward. "Moon Flower of the Mai Lun Meridian Tribe, Messenger."

He could see the slab with the cards stacked neatly on top of them. Her dainty hand was reaching for them…He would miss this place.

He took another step forward, and another. A guard reached to pull him back but he sidestepped him and sprinted directly at Fighter.

She was ready wand already in her hand.

"STAR SERIOUS-"

He pressed forward on the table front flipped over her. Landing behind her he recovered and began to sprint. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Maker coming for him as Healer was rushing the Queen out with the two guards shielding her from behind.

He raced toward the throne flipping over it and opening the door to the back office. He shut the door but could hear her scream, it sounded wrought with distress. "Stop him!"

Maker kicked the door down. Fighter and the soldiers were getting closer. He had a second to analyze the bookcase and pulled the book as the passage opened.

He heard Maker curse as he descended past the dark tunnels. It would only be him and Fighter in pursuit now. She was the only one besides the Queen, and Ma Eileen who knew how to get past the traps in this place.

There was a rushing of wind and then the low booming, the sound of the horn filled the passage ways. Ma Eileen would be waiting for him to attack but he wasn't heading towards Mathan's chamber.

He only focused on the escape. He ducked his head as he heard the swinging swords come so close to his head that he could feel the swish of air on the nape of his neck.

There were murmurs, not of his own, that seemed to be coming closer but it was only a deterrent fear spell, and it only worked if he believed in it, he knew it was fake.

He kept on running; ducking, swerving, and sidestepping as he tried to avoid the traps that could be triggered by any other step.

He stopped and pushed upward, looking at ceiling. It would be somewhere around here…

With a moan the ceiling pushed upward and he climbed his way up and onto a grassy field, it was the outer field of the palace. He didn't pause to admire his feat but instead doubled back, once Fighter realized his target was escape and not Mathan, she would definitely send guards to his location.

"Plan U. I had hoped it wouldn't come to this.

* * *

_The room was so quiet, and so hot. She had been moved to the Healer's Sanctuary. Stone, and gold gods and goddesses peered down on them from either side, watching the scene unfold. _

_Outside the mourners had thinned, but she could still hear the sobbing._

"_Is he?" _

_The male healer looked away. "Milord…" He turned and walked down the hall. _

_Soon after another healer came through, he wore not the tan of the head healer but darker brown robes as he carried out burned sticks of incense the molten wax had melted all over into so they looked like disfigured model in his hands. _

_She could see him place a gloved hand on the wooden door, her own body, a transparent astral figure overlapping her father's could feel what he felt, see what he saw, hear what he thought, and do nothing. _

_Did her father want him to die? Her grandfather was harsh, unfairly cruel, killed his horse, and killed his spirit. Her grandfather hated him, but did he hate his father? Yes. But so much that he wanted him to die…_

_She tried to imagine feeling the same hatred for her own father, Papa, a smiling brown haired, caring man. If had ever done something like this to her…Been so cruel…She would still love him. He was still her father. She had never truly hated someone in her life. If there was anything Diamond had taught her was that no one was truly evil, it was all a matter of circumstance. _

_He finally moved to open the door. He banged the golden doorknocker with the lion's mouth figured onto it. "Father, it is-" He began to push the door open. _

"_No!" He paused. He could hear him vomiting into a container, "I don't want him near me, that child is death, let me have my last moments with some sort of peace. For the love of Sol, I think even I deserve to meet the Eternal Fire with that much. Doctor! Bring me more drink."_

_The door closed again. _

_He moved to the opposite side of the wall, watching with a hanging head as a parade of healers marched in, some of his fathers head council members, more healers and finally a holy shaman. _

_He sat and watched. Maybe he wanted to be in there so he could finally see the old man die. He had seen death before; he had brought it on so many times to so many enemies. He had watched the life bleed out of the eyes of fallen soldiers. It was never as satisfying as his family had made it out to be. _

_His mother used to tell him, when she would rock him to sleep at night, telling him of the battles of old, 'If your foe dies he meets the Great Fire. If your friend dies he meets the Great Fire. For both you will try to control when they meet her, but for neither will you know what will happen when they do. Death is not a scary thing my son, it is always there in front of us, beckoning us. Even if you try to push someone towards it, or hold someone back from it they will always meet it in the end. You cannot fear death. You must not. It is forever.'_

_And yet here he was unable to neither push his father towards it nor hold him back; but he didn't even know which one he wanted for the man. How foolish the situation had become. _

_Foolish, yes, he was a fool. _

_He sunk down to the floor. Serena's ethereal form sank with him. It seemed as if the moment was over and all she could do was wait for the next vision. _

_She wanted to cry for him, to hug and hold him but she was trapped. All she could feel was the pit in his stomach as he waited for his father to die. All she could feel was the icy blanket that was his insecurity, his loneliness, and his precarious lack of sadness. _

_In the pause Serena wilted. Another sad scene was shown to her just as the last had been, and the one before that, and the one before that. She wanted to get up and run away from him, from his sadness that she felt but he wouldn't allow himself to, and since that was impossible to at least wipe away his tears. _

_At least to tell him she didn't think he was a fool. _

_The room seemed to blur and she could feel the room distorting, the walls began to bend towards and soon the entire scene collapsed into itself and she was transported again. _

_Now she was in a big palace. The red embroidered targets were distorted from the movement of her entourage's back. _

_She looked to her left, had she come here alone? She saw the golden armor in front of her, and she felt more relaxed, it was Sunma, luckily the other four were no where in sight. _

_It must be a peace keeping mission, the other were to hot-headed to ever negotiate, or even portray the kingdom as any more than barbaric idiots. _

_Sunma and he already had an advantage over the other brothers; they knew how to speak in their language without riddling it with crude insults and sexual gestures. _

_As they came to two large white doors two women in white robes greeted them. Their hair was a pure white, pale skin and gray eyes, made them look so fragile. The robes covered every inch of skin and only their delicate fingers peaked out from the long arms that nearly touched the floor in the back. With one hand they gestured for the door and the two doors creaked and then pushed backward, sparkles glinted in the air with the remnants of their magic. _

"_Welcome, to the Palace of Peace, and throne room of her majesty, Queen Selene, and her daughter Princess Serenity." _

_The two spoke in one voice, and as they walked had the annoying habit of walking in a perfectly straight line and then switching places with each other. _

_They lead them down a long hallway that was completely white; it was hard to see where the pathway ended and the walls begun, _

"_Single file", they said_

_After what seemed like only moments another set of giant doors appeared, the small pathway opened up to a triangle large enough both of the women could stand in front. _

"_No weapons from this point on."_

_The women waved their hands and the weapons lifted from out of their holsters and into the white oblivion that lay on either side of them. _

_Daggers, darts, swords, brass knuckles, long needles, even the tiny red root the soldiers kept in the inner pockets of their gloves, the one they had sworn to swallow if they ever were captured with no chance of escape, all of it wiggled its way out of its compartment and disappeared. _

"_Don't worry you'll receive them when you return to this place." _

_Another set of doors swung open. _

_It wasn't a throne room but a clear table in the shape of an ellipse. In the middle was a hologram of their castle, and the Queen was sitting at the side of the circle directly away from them. _

_She realized she had never seen her grandmother before, or been to this version of the palace. The woman sitting before her was so regal, upstanding, but scary. She had the same contained fury that she felt when she saw in Galaxia, as if both women believed they controlled the world in your hands. _

_Her hair was pure white with strands of silver, and not tinted by the hint of lavender like her mother had, and her eyes, they were a pale gray with a hint of blue surrounding the pupil. They looked neither warm and inviting but cold and ethereal. _

_She stared directly at her from the moment they entered. For a moment Serena almost believed she knew that Serena was in there. Her father's thoughts were full of a similar confusion. _

_After they were all seated and the guards lined the walls she spoke. She whispered an incantation and placed her hand to her throat so that she suddenly spoke in their tongue, "Forgive if I'm straight to the point but I am sure you are already aware of the death of the Earth Kingdom's Crown Prince, Elis. We called your kingdom today and especially, you, Apollo, because I want you to marry my daughter in his place."_

_Her mouth dropped open, and so did his. The dreams of her parents having a fairy tale love story was destroyed. The vision shifted again before she even had time to absorb the information that had just been given to her. _

_There were in an empty field of sand and sparse grass this time._

_Razthan was ahead. He was a hulking figure of a prince, had always been one of the best fighters. He wasn't wearing his armor but the black tunic with detailed gold embroidery. His head was shaved on both sides so he had a long mane of a Mohawk that trailed to his elbows. Hanging around his neck were the canines of all the enemy leaders glittering around his neck like a string of pearls. _

"_What do you want half-breed?" _

"_Where are you going? Father has only just died, the kingdom is still in mourning, they will need a leader, you will soon be king." _

_Razthan stared at him, head tilted and laughed. "The kingdom may mourn, but I have finished. He lived. He died. He always had whatever he wanted: nice tits and a full goblet. Fuck if I care what happens now. Let Sunma get everything in order, little blind know-it-all. Or even better, Half-Breed you figure out what to do. I have a shipment of slaves from the east quarter that await my attention." _

_He turned to get back on his horse. _

"_Stop." He walked closer and whipped the brother's shoulder around hitting him solidly in the face with a closed fist. _

_Razthan stumbled a bit when he looked at him again he spat out a tooth and blood flowed out from the wound of the flesh on his lip. _

"_Don't test me brother. Now that you've fought your first war you think you have a right to challenge the throne? I'll declare Mortaran, and then I will kill you." _

_He stood still, "You won't have to. I declare Mortaran against Razthan Solsta, our hands our only weapons. May Amaterk Asun declare the winner by the last man standing. May She dictate this battle as she dictates our lives. _

_His elder brother only laughed, "But you won't survive this battle. You can't stop Mortana once it has been said. This is suicide." _

_Razthan rushed him, he was faster than Apollo had previously thought. He stopped just short of him, waiting for the younger brother to make his move. _

_Apollo faked a punch left and kicked low, his leg connected with Razthan's solid calf. _

_He had expected a response of pain. Razthan merely looked down at him and smiled, punching him upward in the chest. _

_His entire torso caved around the blow for barely a half second before he was blown away across the field. _

_She could hear him laughing on his was toward them, "Don't worry. I'll make it slow."_

_He landed a few good kicks in the ribs before dragging him up by his ankle and slamming him onto the ground again. _

_Serena screamed. She couldn't black out, there was no escape, and as long as her father remained conscious she would too. _

_Luckily he rolled away when the brother tried to stomp on his neck, and somehow managed to stand again. _

_It was a small victory that was cut short. As soon as Apollo was on his feet Razthan was barrel at him again tackling him into the air and jumping up to smash him down again. _

_He grabbed Razthan's ankle and dragged it toward him, twisting it and then swinging her legs to kick his knee in the other direction. Apollo rolled away as his massive body came down. His ankle should be twisted and his kneecap dislocated but she only had a few moments before he would heal again. _

_He struggled to get up and winced, his ribs were definitely broken. He moved around him and lifted his head in an effort to break his neck but his fist swung into the side of her head. The blow sent his vision spinning and his head suddenly felt like it was full of cotton. _

_He was trying to get up with some trouble so he leaned heavily on his right leg, he'd have no power to hit him if he couldn't focus his weight on his right leg. _

_He was laughing, a deep chuckle that reminded them both of their father. He hated that laugh. _

"_So this will be a little harder than I thought…No matter." _

_Even with the one bad leg he was still fast, but he'd always been the slower brother, relying on his sheer strength rather than his agility. _

_She could feel his thoughts. He wanted to get close rip his face off but instead he hung back, the knee could only last so long. _

_She wondered if he would just wait it out, if they stayed just out of reach eventually his knee would give out and then they would kill him_.

_His head turned to the sun, it would be setting soon. If no one was declared winner, they would both have to die. _

_The muscles in his legs clenched before he threw himself at his brother, his arm landing a solid punch and absorbing and nasty blow that the larger framed brother returned before he feel to the ground. _

_This time Razthan was slower at getting up and swayed slightly but he didn't lean so heavily on his knee, it was already healing._

_Apollo's chest rose and he let a heavy sigh escape his lips. _

"_No more." _

_A feeling of calmness swept over him, and he felt an almost pleasurable emptiness with. Within the span of milliseconds he raced behind his brother, hitting two pressure points at his neck and one on upper shoulder that stopped him turning to counter and instead left him lying face first in the dirt. _

_He pulled him to his knees by grabbing the rough material at his shoulder. "I sometimes wish we didn't hate each other so much." _

_He pulled the shoulder back to an almost painful angle and looked him in the eyes. He deserved at least that. His pupils were darting from one side to the other, but when he saw him he stared right at him. The dark maroon of his eyes shined through again, if he could he would be smiling._

_Her father took her Uncle's head and twisted, quick and hard. The sound was a combination of wet pop and loud crunch._

_He held the head in his hand and watched as whatever it was, his soul, his life force, faded from his eyes leaving them empty. _

"_The Mortana has ended. Amaterk Asun's will is just and true." _

_His thoughts were still blank, she could feel no emotions and then with the same surprising entrance it always made the rage came flooding in. _

_She could no longer see, and the heat that seemed to start simultaneously in the pit of her stomach and her head like a terrible stomach and headache had converged and spread throughout her entire being. _

_He tiled his entire head back and screamed. The entire world was red again. He just screamed, for hours, maybe for days. _

_When it was finally over he coughed and she could taste the copper hint of blood in his mouth. His throat was sore but at least his other wounds were healing. _

_He walked over to his brother, the head was still face down in the dirt, and picked him up, throwing him over his shoulders with no more care than a sack of stones. It was awkward carrying him, his brother being a good five inches taller than his own tall frame, and the head dangling too much because it the cerebral cord had been severed. _

_It was a good walk to the palace, and again it would be a lonesome someone. _

_Inside Serena walked with him, already way past exhausted. When would this be over? How much more of this sadness would her own father drag her through. Why now? How was her family doing? Darien? The girls? _

_She felt Razthan's head periodically hit against her back with every other step, she wanted to throw up, and she wanted this to be over. _

'_A blessing and a curse' He had told her before he threw her into this life. Where was the blessing? Where was the happiness in this miserable existence?. _

_Her tears wouldn't stop flowing, even though his eyes were dry she knew she was crying. But whatever magic had brought her into this too real movie, prevented her from seeing herself, when she looked into mirrors she looked through her father's eyes, she couldn't see the eighteen year old girl she once was. _

_The tangled threesome walked on, the journey had only just begun. _

**Another chapter finished! Is this the second one in a month? I think YES! Will there be another one soon? MAYBE! Tell me what you think. Remember the three R's Read, Relax, and Review! HAPPY NEW YEAR. You better believe things are going to heat up in for everybody in 2013. **


End file.
